Small businesses throughout the country are capitalizing on the post-Thanksgiving shopping frenzy with Small Business Saturday. Shopping local does more than just put presents under your Christmas tree.

Since 2010, the Saturday between Black Friday and Cyber Monday has been set aside to encourage shoppers to spend their holiday money at locally owned stores.

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Mike Massey, owner of Massey's Outfitters in Mid-City, said he's seeing the benefits. "Every year we see a lot more foot traffic walking through the door for this Saturday."

Last year, consumers spent an estimated $5.5 billion at local shops throughout the country on Small Business Saturday. Dana Eness, Executive Director of Stay Local said there is an, "understanding that dollars spent at locally owned businesses have a greater economic and cultural impact in the city."

Eness added small businesses do not have the luxury of spending thousands on marketing campaigns to draw customers to their stores, but they better the community by creating jobs and sourcing local goods.

"When you look around here you see lots and lots of products that are being created by other people. What you're seeing is a multiplication factor in the jobs that are created and the wealth that is generated," Eness said.

Shoppers like Lydia Wheaton said New Orleans is the ideal city for shopping local. "We like to make an effort to support small businesses. I feel like a lot of other cities don't have this luxury of having so many amazing small business owners."

A Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey showed that the top reason Louisiana consumers shop at small businesses is they know it benefits their community. The survey also says 78 percent of Louisiana consumers who knew about Small Business Saturday planned to shop at locally-owned retailers or restaurants on November 30.

Eness said it's about understanding the power of each dollar. "Depending on where they choose to spend that dollar, they can be participating and contributing and truly investing in a better New Orleans by choosing to support local independent businesses."

Since its inception, Small Business Saturday has been become a global phenomenon, spreading to the UK, Australia, Israel, Canada, South Africa and Asia.